While higher brand equity products will attract greater loyalty from their customers, new research reveals different ways to strengthen the relationship between equity and loyalty. Such efforts to strengthen the link are worthwhile since the relationship does not always hold true. One customer segment, the study shows, perceives a brand’s equity as high but is not loyal — and surprisingly another segment perceives a brand’s equity as low but still remains loyal.

Through analysis of video tracking of consumers in stores, new research offers a greater understanding of how and why consumers consider and make unplanned purchases at the point of purchase. The research highlights the categories of products most likely to be considered as unplanned purchases; correlations between categories of planned purchases and unplanned purchases; and the behaviour of consumers most likely to make unplanned purchases (e.g. standing close to the shelf or talking to an employee increases the chances of conversion). Retailers can use this information to develop

Customer loyalty programs can be based on frequency rewards or customer tier benefits (e.g. special benefits when you reach a certain elite customer status). As companies try to decide which type of program is better, or if loyalty programs are even worth the trouble, new research shows a combination of both programs offer direct financial benefits, as well as better customer information for strategic decision-making.

Increased awareness of the power of online word of mouth (WOM) in marketing means many companies now offer people financial incentives to write reviews of their products and services. But this could be a short-sighted strategy. Recent research suggests that knowing a review has been ‘solicited’ leads to negative pre-conceptions about products among potential consumers – and that these could prove quite hard to reverse.